U.S. to lift ban on Bibi aide

WASHINGTON (JTA) — The United States reportedly will lift its ban on a top aide to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Ha’aretz reported Wednesday that Uzi Arad, a former Mossad chief whom Netanyahu plans to make his national security adviser, will get the visa that has been denied him since 2007.

Arad reportedly was banned because he is referred to in the indictment against Larry Franklin, a former Pentagon Iran analyst who pleaded guilty to relaying classified information.

Arad has said his two meetings in 2004 with Franklin were innocent and did not involve classified information. According to the indictment, Franklin’s principal Israeli interlocutor was Naor Gilon, the political officer at the Israeli Embassy.

Franklin’s dealings with Arad are unrelated to his role in a similar case pending against two former staffers for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.